15 Must-See Day Trips from Dubrovnik, Croatia

There are dozens of day trips from Dubrovnik, as it is positioned strategically in the center of some very interesting Balkan countries and points of interest. It’s a great place to base yourself for Dubrovnik day trips if you don’t have the time to visit surrounding places for a few days, but want to make the most of your time in the Balkans.

I worked in Croatia for six summers. I was a guide on Croatia sailing tours for five summers, and a private hire guide through four Balkan countries on the ultimate Balkans road trip for one.

This means that I have had the chance to get to know both Croatia and all the surrounding Balkan countries very, VERY well. If it can be done as day trips from Dubrovnik, trust me, I have done it and probably gotten to know the destination very well, too.

Anyway, enough about me. Here are the top 15 Dubrovnik day tours and trips that you can take while you are staying in what we lovingly call “Dub City.’ I will provide links to tours that I recommend, and also my personal thoughts about the destination/trip and which ones might warrant more than just a day trip.

The Best Day Trips from Dubrovnik

The first section details all sorts of day trips from Dubrovnik that take place within Croatia, and is followed by a section of Bosnia + Herzegovina day trips and then Montenegro day trips from Dubrovnik. Make sure to check them all out, because the last sections are some of the most amazing day trips you can take from Dubrovnik for sure (and you get to see other countries!).

If you’re looking for things to do in Dubrovnik, I have you covered there also… only, it’s a separate (equally comprehensive) article. Click below to see any of my other comprehensive Croatia articles.

But before Getting to Day Trips from Dubrovnik, Did you Know I Have Over 20 Articles About Croatia?!

• Super-Guide to Places to Visit in Croatia
• Top 15 Festivals in Croatia
• Things to Do in Split
• Guide to Makarska
• Things to Do in Hvar
• Things to Do on Vis Island

Dubrovnik Day Trips Within Croatia

1. Elaphite Islands Day Trips from Dubrovnik

It’s definitely worth going out to see the Elaphite Islands as one or even two day trips from Dubrovnik. These are gorgeous islands surrounding Dubrovnik’s port and sprawling a bit farther up the coast as well.

There are two different kinds of Elaphite islands trips from Dubrovnik. One involves a bigger, slower wooden boat that takes you to three small cities on three islands. The other is a speedboat that takes a smaller, more adventurous group to swim in a few different amazing caves and to the only sandy beach on the Dalmatian coast. I have a whole post on Elafiti Islands Day Trips or you can read a summary below:

Elaphite Towns Sailing Tour

This tour enables you to get a little getaway from Dubrovnik and visit some smaller, less touristy, and more authentic Croatian island towns. This tour will give you a certain amount of time in each town, which you can spend exploring, visiting nearby beaches, shopping, or eating.

If you only have a short time in Dubrovnik, this is my number one recommendation for a getaway to experience a bit more Croatian culture.

Elaphite Speedboat Tour + Odysseus Cave

The speedboat tour takes you to Koločep and Lopud islands as well, except in a totally different manner! This is an adventure tour, and you will get goggles and snorkels from the boat for optimal exploration capability!

You’ll visit a blue cave that you can swim in (not as big as the one near Vis). You swim through a small opening between the cave and water, and because it’s so dark inside the light shines through the water making it and the cave seem to glow blue.

You’ll also visit three smaller-yet-equally-awesome caves on the other side of the same bay and then swim up to the only sandy beach in the area (Croatia is usually very rocky), on Lopud Island. Lastly, you’ll zoom all the way over to Mljet island to visit the huge Odysseus cave.

2. Peljesac + Korčula Island Day Trip from Dubrovnik

With good reason, they call Korčula town (on Korčula island) the ‘mini Dubrovnik.’ It’s also a medieval walled town on the coast; it’s smaller yet equally beautiful! You can visit Korčula and the Peljesac peninsula as one of your many day trips from Dubrovnik.

Korčula is famous for being the alleged birthplace of Marco Polo! You could spend a few days in Korčula if you have time, but it’s definitely small and doable in one day if that’s all you have. For all my best tips on Korčula, visit my Korčula article!

The Pelješac peninsula is just across a short channel from Korčula, and is known for its wine, dramatic mountains, and small towns. It is one of the most esteemed and prolific wine regions in Croatia, due to its steep and rocky slopes that get tons of sun both from the sky and reflected from the water. See it all in the tour below.

3. Mljet Island Day Trip from Dubrovnik

Mljet is one of my favorite Croatian islands and a true untouched paradise. It’s fairly untouched because a majority of the island is actually a National Park, comprised of dense forests surrounding two perfectly-blue saltwater lakes.

It’s amazing for renting bikes, kayaking, hiking, and getting away from the city bustle for a little bit. You can also visit Odysseus cave (see Elafiti Speedboat tour above) and visit the St. Mary Island Monastery. Learn more about it in my Mljet article.

4. Dubrovnik to Split Day Trip

Don’t have time to visit Split during the rest of your trip?! No problem. You can visit Split and some surrounding points of interest as yet another amazing Dubrovnik day trip.

It’s a bit of a drive up to Split; it could be as short as 3 hours but sometimes traffic can hold you back a bit longer. However, Split is 100% worth a visit while you’re in Croatia – even if just as a day trip.

To be honest, there’s not heaps going on in Split, but the ancient Roman old town is truly a sight to behold. You can see my Split article to check out all my best recommendations, or my popular Day Trips from Split post if you end up choosing to base yourself there for a bit in the end.

5. Dubrovnik Scuba Diving Trip

Yep, you heard that right, you can go scuba diving in Dubrovnik! Certified or not, this intro course will show you the incredible underwater world of Croatia as you dive through some of the clearest water I’ve ever seen. You can do a course toward your PADI or just a full day diving package, depending on your needs.

6. Plitvice Lakes National Park Day Tour from Dubrovnik

Plitvice Lakes is one of the most famous National parks in Croatia and perhaps in Europe itself. It’s quite far from Dubrovnik (read: very far. Don’t say I didn’t warn you). But, if you are limited on time and absolutely must see it, you can see it as one of many day trips from Dubrovnik.

It’s only available as a private tour, however. I recommend it more highly as a day trip from Split.

Day Trips from Dubrovnik to Bosnia

Getting to Bosnia from Dubrovnik isn’t quite as simple as hopping to the Elaphites, but that’s part of the adventure. If you’d rather skip the bus shuffle or car rental hassle, you can use Daytrip to book a private ride with an English-speaking local driver. The best part? You can add sightseeing stops on the way, so the journey ends up being half the fun.

Bosnia and Herzegovina is an absolutely stunning country. Recently, very troubled in the Yugoslav Wars in the early 1990s, some scars are still very raw in the country, especially in the capital, Sarajevo. Having had significantly more Turkish influence than Croatia, Bosnia is a more Muslim country, and this is reflected in its culture, food, clothing, and shopping.

The country is divided into two provinces, which are – you guessed it – Bosnia and Herzegovina. Most day trips from Dubrovnik will visit the Herzegovina part, which is more southern and has Mostar as its capital. Herzegovina has some incredible natural wonders that are definitely worth seeing.

There are many sights to see in Bosnia + Herzegovina, and it can get overwhelming to decide on which tour to choose as they all include different sights. I recommend the first tour below and have listed a couple of other options too.

7. Recommended Bosnia Day Trip: Day Trip from Dubrovnik to Kravice Waterfalls and and Mostar

If you have to choose one day trip from Dubrovnik to Bosnia, this is the most popular as it goes to both Mopstar and Kravice waterfalls, which are really beautiful. You can even see in the reviews that it’s well-liked.

Kravice Falls are some incredible waterfalls nearer to the Croatian border. They are fantastic to have a swim, sunbathe, or relax at surrounding restaurants and are EPIC for photos. I have a guide to visiting Kravice Falls, too.

Mostar is the incredible capital of southern Bosnia (Herzegovina), with an iconic old bridge and an amazing old stone Turkish town. There are temples to visit, old houses to explore, tons of (totally different from Croatia) market stalls to explore, and beautiful views to be seen. Click here for my Mostar Travel Guide! 

8. Cultural Day Trip from Dubrovnik to Mostar, Pocitelj, and Medugorje

If you’re more about ruins and culture, you might want to book this day trip from Dubrovnik to Mostar and two other religuous/cultural sites.

 Pocitelj is an Ottoman hilltop walled town next to a beautiful river. You can climb the stairs of the authentic town, picking pomegranates off the trees and taking in the true ruins of an ancient town. There are a few lookout points where you can gaze out at the countryside and the walled town itself.

Medigorje is a fascinating Christian religious site with one of the largest outdoor churches in the world where it is said that the virgin Mary appeared to a group of people years ago. You can see the church and visit many shops in the town selling Virgin Mary themed souvenirs.

9. Day Trip from Dubrovnik to to Sarajevo, the Capital of Bosnia + Herzegovina

Yes, it is indeed possible to visit just Sarajevo as a quite long day tour from Dubrovnik. If you are short on time you can spend a day wandering around the very historic capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, which is famous for being the site of the beginning of World War 1 and also hit very hard during the Yugoslav Wars (seized for 4 years, in fact).

Day Trips from Dubrovnik to Montenegro

Like Bosnia, there is a LOT to see in Montenegro. However, most is not as accessible in one day. I would first and foremost recommend spending more time in Montenegro than simply a day trip from Dubrovnik, and doing my Montenegro Road Trip instead – it visits all the locations below.

The Bay of Kotor is an incredible sight to behold, with towering mountains over a massive bay. The town of Kotor itself is a charming medieval old walled town protected by a high hilltop fortress, and is also well worth exploring.

Perast is another small town on the Bay of Kotor. Budva is another walled town down the coast, but a bit bigger and with a more bustling nightlife scene (a great beach too!). Sveti Stefan is a beautiful isthmus-island just south of Budva.

10. Recommended Day Trip from Dubrovnik to Montenegro: Budva, Kotor, and More

The best day trip to Montenegro from Dubrovnik visits the main sights on the Bay of Kotor and also visits Budva. This tour will give you a great intro to beautiful Montenegro scenery and still leaves a good amount of time to explore each place.

You will see from the many reviews that this is the most comprehensive option, and even includes a ferry ride through the bay at the end of the day!

11. Day Trip from Dubrovnik to Montenegro Rafting in the River Tara

Montenegro is also home to some absolutely breathtaking national parks, mountain ranges, and nature away from the coasts, but most would require more than just a day trip. The river Tara runs through the Tara River Gorge, which is one of the longest canyons in Europe and absolutely breathtaking.

The rafting trip below takes you on a spectacular adventure through a stunning Montenegrin National Park (my second most recommended of these day trips from Dubrovnik!). This could be a great day trip for an adventurous soul.

Final Notes on Dubrovnik Day Trips and Getting Around Croatia

If after reading all this you have deemed that day trips from Dubrovnik aren’t enough for you to see everything, there are many ways to get around the Balkans.

For those on a tighter budget, taking the bus will be the best way for you to get from place to place. Each main city has a bus terminal and it’s quite easy for you to book a bus ticket from there to many surrounding places, or you can book easily online on Bookaway (my recommended bus booking platform for Europe).

Transfers to Other Places from Dubrovnik

For those who want a little bit more freedom, it’s a great idea to rent a car and drive from place to place. There are many companies that’ll allow use in multiple countries.

I rented a car from Sixt in Croatia and drove it through Slovenia, Bosnia, and Montenegro without issue. Compare all rates on Rentalcars.com; just make sure if you want to cross borders that the rental company is okay with that.

Lastly, if you would like to travel in style, there are many private transfers available from Dubrovnik to surrounding cities:

• Dubrovnik to Budva
• Dubrovnik to Sarajevo (but don’t miss Mostar!)
• Dubrovnik to Mostar
• Dubrovnik to Kotor
• Dubrovnik to Split

Have any questions about your trip to Croatia? Feel free to contact me for any trip-planning help! Remember to Pin this post to Pinterest!

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